By Geoff Moran, Frankfurt, Germany
My most interesting, challenging and fulfilling assignment in a twenty-four year active duty career was as the chaplain for American Forces Network – Europe. It came as the utilization assignment from a year’s schooling at Princeton Theological Seminary. From summer of 1987 to 1990, I was on the air, both AM and FM, six days a week to the American audience in Europe of 700,000. It was a very
unusual “pulpit” for a chaplain. Five days a week I gave three and a half minute morning devotional messages called “The Word in the World” and had a Sunday morning music-and-talk one hour radio show. As everyone knows a chaplain only works one hour a week, and for me it was only four minutes a day! But believe me, preparing and delivering 260 daily messages per year was much more difficult than preaching 52 Sunday sermons.
Unlike preaching to a worshiping congregation, my listeners were in their cars, in the gym, making kids lunches for school, or getting ready for a morning formation. Our surveys told us 300,000 listened to that segment daily and I took that as a great responsibility to point to the spiritual dimension of life in each message.
Feedback from the audience came in many forms: letters from East Germans who heard the AFN signal from the West, an Army wife who said, “I know your voice better than Walter Cronkite’s,” a soldier who said in the weight room at the gym everybody kept working out during the news and sports but stopped and the room was silent during my message, and an Air Force Wing Commander who said, “I spend more time naked with you than my wife!” (He quickly clarified that he listened to me every morning when he was taking his shower.)
Most of us don’t know the many ways our lives have influenced others. Certainly we get some words of appreciation, but most of the time we don’t get the feedback or see the fruit of our labor. A very meaningful event for me came three years after I completed the AFN assignment. Back at a stateside post, a lieutenant colonel came to see me and introduced himself by saying, “You saved my life.” Long story short, he was in a crisis in his life, driving around a US base in Germany ready to commit suicide. The car radio was on and he said it was the right word at the right time, and his life turned around for the better from that point. Many of us don’t have the blessing I had that day to hear about how a word of kindness, encouragement or even correction affected someone. We can all hope our example, leadership and insights have left positive ripples that touch many lives.
Wow!!
Geoff,
What a wonderful story, and what a huge responsibility! Thank you for the wonderful service you provided to our troops and the many others listening in and needing a little of God’s word for encouragement, guidance or just to make life worth continuing. What a blessing.
PeteG
Excellent, Moose,
I’m very proud to say we began our WP career as 1st New Cadet Company roommates, finished up as companymates in D-1, and remain good friends all these years later.
I’ve always admired your irreverent humor, your musicianship and superior understanding of the world around you.
I left AFN country long before you arrived, so I must admit I haven’t heard any of your messages, except memorials at our reunions. If you have a favorite recorded somewhere, I’m sure I could use your guidance.
We’re blessed that you are one of our “sky pilots,”
Doc
“Wow” is right, Geoff. I recall your mentioning your AFN experience when we saw you and Ruth Ann when you were assigned to Fort Leavenworth some years later. But had no idea what an impact your on-air ministry was to others. Great testimony. Thanks for sharing. Pete
Geoff,
Being in the right place, doing the right thing, at the right times … goals toward which we all should aspire.
An encouraging word can make all the difference, and your array of examples deservedly proved encouraging to you. A job well done.
On this Thanksgiving, please accept one more word of appreciation.
Thanks, Jeff.
Stewart
I remember those morning sermons like yesterday. Many meaningful words in such little time. Geoff is a close friend and outstanding chaplain/minister.
Your classmate and my late husband, Michael W. Taylor, had a wonderful stepfather who served as an army Chaplain on Guadalcanal in WW II. We have framed and displayed touching pictures of him baptizing in the river and preaching among the fields and foxholes. Listening to his stories was humbling as he knew many he baptized would not return. The rest he gave solace as they fought the great fight. He developed Yellow Fever which affected his hands the rest of his life but never his gentle Christian spirit.
Geoff, what a lovely remembrance, thank you for it and for your service to not one but two armies … though both at the same time. I hope that someday we get to meet while still in this life, but if not we’ll certainly meet in heaven. By the way, I know full well what you meant when you said that it was harder to prepare those short sermons than 260 daily sermons than 52 Sunday ones. When I was pastoring in Maine I had occasion to have to prepare 5 devotionals that were used for the sign-on for a local TV station. Those were not easy to do at all. It took a lot of time and effort and sometimes several takes to get them right. May God bless you and all those you love abundantly.
Geoff
I remember listening each morning when I was the DEH in Giessen. Thanks for your messages.
Mike Colacicco
Geoff,
What a great message to share, especially on Thanksgiving day. Thank you for what you did and for sharing.
Dick Jarman
There are several Catholic priests in our extended family tree. One baptized me and three of my four siblings. At the time of his death he was the oldest priest in the NY Archdiocese.
When I can back from Vietnam, a priest from Most Holy Trinity Chapel at West Point asked me to become a priest. I didn’t, but I’ve been a Lector at Mass for 55 years, taught fifth and sixth graders religious education, and bring Communion to homebound at the retirement community where I live.
I keep telling my daughter and grandkids that being right with God is more important than anything else.
Hay Geoff – Ed Curley here. I served with you in 1970’s in Germany. Send me a note and let me know how you are doing.
Hello Ed –
Sure, I remember you! It would be fun to reconnect.
Hey Geoff, great to hear what you have been doing. Send me an email and I’ll send you my number.